The physical framework of the working environment is determined by its design and layout, and these factors have a big influence on the organisation.
That makes it important to take requirements for and evaluations of the working environment into account from an early phase.
We have worked for many years to set technical standards for the working environment, and to upgrade these requirements in response to our own operational experience and research findings.
This has yielded visible results. The average level of noise is lower in our new plants and installations than at older units, for instance. We can also see that conditions for access and maintenance friendliness are getting steadily better.
Improvements have been introduced at existing facilities in the form of mechanical handling equipment and lifts, while these are in place from an early stage in the design of new structures.
Our experience has been that requiring the involvement of qualified health and working environment specialists in the design process is as important as setting technical standards.
Follow-up during design work consists of contributing to the inclusion of technical demands as well as requiring relevant analyses and reviews of specifications and contracts.
Working environment specialists also participate in dedicated studies and analyses, or commission these from external partners in such areas as acoustics and noise.
In addition, drawings, design documentation and computer models are reviewed together with experienced operations personnel in order to asses how work will be done and what the working environment will be like in the future facility.
The basis for efforts in the design phase is to ensure than relevant standards are met, to identify possible risks and to reduce these as far as possible.
Requirements are specified for checking working environment aspects in all phases of design and delivery, and their quality is checked by specialist personnel ahead of each decision point.
